Demea wrote:
Blackhawks look like they may actually stand a chance to advance to the second round this year. And since they're the only team that's been able to consistently beat the @#%^s from Murder Capital, USA Detroit, I like our chances this year.
Of course, time is on our side, too. Damn, the Wings are getting old. It's also baseball season, and the perennial chokers Cubs are the favorites in their division again, which is more than one can say about the Tigers.
I'm a Cubs fan, Demea. Remember, I'm from Chicago.
My dad grew up in Detroit, and hockey is pretty much the closest thing to a religion he had growing up, so I grew up watching Stevie-Y (see avatar) and the Wings over the Hawks.
And Calgary is going to be a nasty series, regardless of that 4-6-0 they've put up in their last 10. We're coming off a 3-6-1 (and dropping 2 to the Hawks), so I'm thanking all the higher powers I know right now that our first series is against Columbus.
You guys may have hit your hot streak at the right time, though.
As for the Wings getting older; we just signed Franzen to an 11 year deal, which will end when he's 40 or 41. Hossa should re-sign with us (his agent is quoted as saying "the salary cap is not going to be an object to [Hossa] staying in Detroit"), and really the only people we have retiring will be Big Nick and one or two other guys.
Our talent pool is really deep in Grand Rapids, though, and with the Cup franchise that we've become, players are willing to take a pay cut to come play for us for the chance at a ring; that's why Hossa will stay with us.
With Franzen in for 11 years, and same with Zetterberg, we've got 2 of our usual 5 locked up. If we can re-sign Datsyuk (which I don't doubt, he's probably the single best player in the NHL overall; we don't want to lose that), we've got 3/5, then add in Rafalski and Kronwall or Lilja, and you've got another extremely solid 5.
Franzen essentially steps into the shoes that Holmstrom is filling right now when he retires (which probably isn't soon, since he's only 36).
We're an older team, but with Holland as GM, you can bet that we'll have plenty of talent for years to come.
Dynasty is pretty much spelled R-E-D W-I-N-G-S in the NHL, nowadays.